Is Social Media Taking Over Fùtbol?

We see social media flooding with fùtbol-related content every time a fl game is being broadcasted live. Whether it is hating, praying, cursing, hoping or simply stating the facts, anything that is going inside the minds of millions of fùtbol fans during the game appears on social media. Hardcore aficionados of the game love every moment of it whereas the non-interested parties can’t help but huff and puff with annoyance as fùtbol takes over their news feed.

Long gone are the days when all the eyes and ears were fixed on the T.V as now, the attention is equally divided between the phone and the big screen. So, when such a huge love creates such a huge market, opportunities present themselves and for the business-minded people, there is money to be made.

Not that there is anything wrong with that; in fact, it is quite impressive to see how simple love and devotion can be converted into some good cash. Let’s see how social media slowly and craftily took over fùtbol:

Cristiano Ronaldo:

Despite being a world-wide phenomena and an international sport, fùtbol used to be a small business with few watching the game live and most enjoying it from the comfort of their couches. With the emergence of social media though, fùtbol got itself a good collaborator. Ronaldo was smart enough to take the lead.He joined facebook, Twitter and Instagram and before we knew it, he became the athlete with one of the largest fan followings on social media. Today, he has approximately 200 million followers and falls in the league with social media kings and queens like Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez. Such a large horde of fans attracts equally large sponsors and brands and this is what has helped Ronaldo make millions off the field.

Nike:

Who can forget the hypnotizing video “The Switch” that Nike released in June 2016 which amassed 345 million views? The only reason it became such a huge success was because Nike has been able to access millions of fùtbol fans around the world with the help of social media.

Arsenal Media Group:

This club has been on the front line of social media for quite some time now. They connect with the fans through fùtbol by offering them a glimpse of behind the scenes happenings and letting them know their player a little better. They also regularly post YouTube videos and Twitter Q&A sessions to allow the fans to directly connect with their favorite player. They are putting social media to good use by making money and making fans happy.

Manchester City

When they saw fùtbol fans on social media, they offered them something worth watching. They coined the word Datatainment and allowed the fùtbol fans to get up close and personal with their favorite players. Their Tunnel Cam gives exclusive footage of players arriving to the venue, walking on the field, talking, meeting, socializing and whatnot. They also give the fans an opportunity to ask their question on Twitter and Google+.

Before the emergence of social media, it had been hard for players, clubs and brands to engage fans of fùtbol. So, when social media arrived, it gave a face to the millions of fùtbol devotees around the world and made their presence known. From then onwards, social media has become a big part of the game and has slowly took fùtbol under its wings.